Reynoldsburg police

Resident charged with stalking 17-year-old girl

Wednesday February 20, 2013 11:13 AM

Reynoldsburg police charged a 21-year-old city resident with menacing by stalking, a fourth-degree felony, for allegedly stalking and harassing a 17-year-old girl.

Matthew Proehl, who lives on Tomahawk Trail, was arrested at 9:55 p.m. Feb. 12 at his residence. He was transported to the Reynoldsburg Police Department for processing and questioning, then transported to the Franklin County jail.

According to police, the girl reported she has been stalked and has been receiving harassing text messages, calls and Tweets from Proehl for the past year. She told the reporting officer he left roses on her car Feb. 11, then began pounding on the door and ringing the doorbell to her house, refusing to leave.

Reports stated she has repeatedly told Proehl to stop harassing her or she would call the police. The girl told officers she has been receiving 20 text messages a day on top of messages on Twitter that she described as "simply annoying to threatening and occasionally sexually oriented."

In addition, police said the girl reported Proehl drives to where she works and watches her walk to her car when she leaves.

The reporting officer said a review of Proehl's criminal history revealed he has been charged with several harassment and stalking-oriented crimes in the past. The officer said the menacing by stalking charge is a felony because the girl is a minor.

* In other police reports, a number of break-ins and incidents occurred on Brice Road.

Detectives are investigating a report of a breaking and entering where blood was found on a broken glass merchandise case. The owner of a business in the 1700 block of Brice Road reported the burglary Feb. 13.

* An earlier break-in occurred at 3:30 a.m. Feb. 8 at another business in the 1700 block of Brice Road, police reported. A passerby told officers he saw broken glass in the front door. The reporting officer said the south door was shattered and slightly ajar, but the owner said the only thing missing was a pack of cigarettes.

The officer said a store video caught the thief on camera. He is described as a black male, 5-feet, 8-inches to 5-feet, 11-inches tall, weighing 140-160 pounds. He was wearing blue jeans and a dark blue or black hoodie.

* A store manager reported a shoplifter got away with three rolls of electrical wire before 9:37 a.m. Feb. 19 from a business in the 2400 block of Brice Road. Employees said a woman concealed three large rolls of electrical wiring in a bag and then left without paying. One employee said he followed her out the door and saw her get into a 1997 Toyota driven by a man. The incident is still under investigation, police said.

* Police chased two women who left without paying their bill at a business in the 2000 block of Brice Road. The reporting officer said he and another officer saw the two women run away at 6:44 p.m. Feb. 11 and hide behind bushes near Lake Club Drive.

He said when they stopped the women and asked why they were running, they said, "We were running from you guys."

The women admitted to getting into an argument with their server and leaving the business without paying the bill. The women were charged with theft through Reynoldsburg Mayors Court.

* Police responded to a call at 5:09 p.m. Feb. 12 at a business in the 2800 block of Taylor Road Southwest. The owner of a vehicle said he had parked on the west side of the lot the night before and at 7 a.m. noticed the rear passenger side window had been broken. A portable printer worth $200 was missing.